The Friday Five: Coffee Pots

I have been drinking more coffee than usual over the last few weeks. I go through phases of preferred coffee types. I normally rotate between CafĂ© du Monde drip coffee, espresso, and lattĂ©s. While I love French pressed coffee too, I don’t have a French press so I never make it. My local cafĂ© has pour over coffee which is kind of – sort of – like French press. I love the taste of pretty much every kind of coffee (and I’ve written about my interest in coffee here).

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Toddy Cold Brew Coffee System

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Chemix Coffee Maker

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Black & Decker Coffee Maker

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Cuisinart Compact Single Serve Coffee Maker

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Bosch Tassimo

What about you? What’s you coffee of choice? Do you frequent the cafĂ©s or do you prefer your own make-at-home coffee?

 

Toronto: Nadège

Just before the new year arrived, Johanne and I had a little pre-2011 celebration at Nadège. It was delicious and so very white! Nadège is beautiful, pristine and a breath of French goodness on Toronto’s Queen St. West. The pastries are edible pieces of art and if you sit at the back of the cafĂ© you can watch the bakers at work. We did…and we were amazed at the macaron Christmas trees!

photo by Jordana

If you’re in Toronto and have a craving for gorgeous French sweets, Nadège is the place for you!

Bon appetit!

The Friday Five: Coffee

Ahh…coffee. I love the smell, the taste and the look. I love the feeling of drinking a coffee at my local cafĂ©. I love meeting a friend and catching up on gossip at a new cafĂ© or sitting alone on a patio with a cup in hand and watching the world go by.

I’m a fan of any kind of coffee…my choice usually depends on the time of day, the occasion and the cafĂ©. I like a latte or cappuccino in the morning or as a mid-morning break. I enjoy a nice espresso after a good meal or as an afternoon pick-me-up.

And yes – sometimes the coffee I drink is so special, it deserves a photo! I’m happy to welcome you to today’s caffeine-filled Friday Five!

1. I was in Ascoli with my aunt, uncle and father. We stopped in at Caffe Meletti before hitting the farmer’s market. The Barista wrote me a special message in my little espresso. Sweet, right?

An espresso in Ascoli, Italy

2. I was in Gstaad with my good friend Shannon. Going to Early Beck easily became an afternoon routine for us. We shared many laughs and gossiped for hours.

A cappuccino & croissant in Gstaad, Switzerland

3. On one of my trips to Paris, I stopped in at a restaurant near the Palais Royale to write postcards and get re-energized!

An espresso and tarte in Paris, France

4. I’ll never forget the morning adventure my good friend Boba and I had in Montreal. It was pouring rain outside but we were determined to have breakfast at La Croissanterie Figaro, which came highly recommended by a friend. Even though we were exhausted after a busy work week in Montreal, we stuck it out and we were rewarded with a beautiful breakfast and a couple of delicious cappuccinos.

A cappuccino with a mountain of foam in Montreal, Quebec

5. I was on a 5-day vacation with Shannon (yes, the same friend) in Budapest and we stopped in for a coffee and strudel at the First Studel House of Pest. Our food and drinks were delish!

Latte at the First Strudel House of Pest, Budapest

How about you? What are your coffee drinking routines or memories?

Photos by Jordana.

For the Love of Fornasetti

Fornasetti plate, 125GBP, Milk Concept Boutique

I first “met” Fornasetti on an episode of Debbie Travis’ Painted House, a long while ago (I think I might have been in highschool!). I was a fan at first sight. Those black & white faces just had a way of capturing my attention. Since then, I have noticed that Fornasetti has continued to gain popularity and interest among designers, collectors and artists. The Fornasetti style has been produced and reproduced countless times in numerous forms. Pillows, lighting, stools and even umbrellas with Fornasetti designs have made it to the marketplace.

Last weekend a friend took me to The Good Neighbour espresso bar in Toronto (thanks Kathlyn!) and I was quite excited to see the Fornasetti wall. I think the wall in this inviting café makes for an interesting focal point. Seeing the wall also reminded me that it was about time I put a little Fornasetti into White Cabana!

Fornasetti Wall at The Good Neighbour, Toronto

If you’re looking to invest in a piece, I suggest you start your search at Caviar20 as there always seems to be a Fornasetti piece or two in stock. Troy at Caviar20 suggests that if one is serious about starting a collection, vintage is the way to go. According to Troy, “savvy collectors know that this is the time to buy Fornasetti”. Be warned…the new items have purely decorative value and they will never appreciate in value. Are you sold yet?

Fornasetti's Mesi Soli, $225, at Caviar20

Although I don’t own any pieces just yet, when I do begin this collection I might decide to arrange them something like this:

Fornasetti plates as wall art, via Design is Mine

Want to learn more or get your collection started? Click here and here.

 

Update: Read Troy’s review of the book, Fornasetti: The Complete Universe here.

Images via Caviar20, Design is Mine, Milk Concept Boutique. Image and more information about The Good Neighbour here.